A private security guard attached to Diamond Bank on the Ahmadu Bello Way, Jos, Plateau State was killed by some mask-wearing soldiers.
The victim identified as Sunday Ugbaje, from Ejule ojebe ohiele clan in Kogi State, was shot at close range by some soldiers on Monday, October 22, at about 3pm after the bank had closed to customers. It was gathered that banks in Jos close to customers by 3 pm everyday because of security situation.
According to an eyewitness, the soldiers drove to the gate of the bank with their faces masked and demanded for the gate to be opened.
"But the security guard told them the operation hours had passed and that they should only use the Automatic Teller Machine," the witness said.
“Edogwu also insisted that the soldiers would not be allowed onto the bank premises with masked face and cocked riffles in their hands. As the argument ensued, one of the soldiers fired at him and killed him at the gate. The soldier also injured other officials of the bank and some customers using the ATM , who are now receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital,"
The soldiers were said to have driven out of the scene while shooting into the air to disperse a mob who attempted to protest the extrajudicial killing .
The spokesman for the Special Military Taskforce codenamed Operation Safe Haven, Major Umar Adams, who confirmed the incident, said the soldiers have been identified and arrested.
"The Headquarters of Operation Safe Haven unequivocally condemns such overbearing acts and hereby states that it does not in any way represent the professional posture of the Armed Forces of Nigeria at large. The culprits have been identified , apprehended and currently under detention and will be subjected to constituted military justice procedure. The Commander , OPSH once again , uses this medium to commiserate with the family of late Edogwu , the management of the bank as well as families of the injured officials .” he said in a statement.
In a Facebook post, his friends narrated their version of the incident. Read one below:
"Those army men are Nigeria army and what happened was that, they came with their patrol vehicle Hilux and they wanted to enter inside the bank to used ATM but the security officer stop them not to entered inside the branch with rifles or guns for security reason but those army refused that they must entered and security guards also refused to open the gate for them and those army forcefully open open the gate, entered inside the branch and used ATM then after one of them used ATM when he stepped out of the gate he turned back and started shooting opened fire and killed one security guard, injured four other staff and one customer and all of them were rushed to hospital. That was the details and reliable information of what happened at Diamond bank Jos Ahmadu bello way branch.
Meanwhile, all of them were arrested on the following day."
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